"As your United States Congressman, I pledged to maintain and promote the conservative, small town values that so many of us in south Arkansas were raised on and still believe in.  In doing so, I feel strongly that one of my most important responsibilities is to be accessible and out among my constituents, listening to your views and concerns, so that I can best represent you when I am in Washington.   That is why during the August work period, I will be spending each day speaking with individuals; attending meetings with civic, agricultural, and economic organizations; and visiting businesses and industrial facilities across south Arkansas. 

"One of the highlights of the month long district work period will be a seven-stop family pharmacy tour where I will be visiting local pharmacies to discuss an issue that I believe is important to all of us, especially our seniors—the need to truly modernize Medicare to include a voluntary but guaranteed prescription drug benefit.  I am very concerned with the prescription drug discount card plan that the President has proposed as an alternative, and I want you to know that I believe the plan is a false promise to our seniors.  What our seniors need is simple—a plan that truly modernizes Medicare to include medicine just like going to the doctor and going to the hospital. 

"I look forward to coming to many of your hometowns this month to talk about this and other issues, and I hope you will not hesitate to contact me at 1-800-223-2220 or by email at mike.ross@mail.house.gov if I can ever be of service to you.  Also, please be sure to visit our website at www.house.gov/ross where you can sign up to receive our weekly electronic newsletter that will keep you up to date on what’s going on in Washington."

“The President’s prescription drug discount card plan is not the answer for our seniors,” Ross said.  “I have seen seniors receive these cards only to learn that the price for their medicine is higher than what they had been paying without the card, and if there is any savings, it’s only a dollar or two.  Many seniors like my grandmother live from Social Security check to Social Security check and cannot afford a $200-300 prescription drug bill each month.  What they need is meaningful relief from the high costs of these medicines, not a dollar or two.”  

Ross emphasized several flaws with the President’s plan.  Under the plan, Medicare recipients would be charged $25 to enroll in the program, while many companies already provide these cards at little or no expense.  The so-called “discount cards” are not part of Medicare or any other insurance plan, and there is no cost sharing involved.  Thus, the Medicare beneficiary is required to pay the total price of the card and their medicine.  In addition, the driving force behind marketing these so-called discount prescription drug cards are the rebates these companies receive from the big drug manufacturers for placing their drugs on a formulary—promoting their products and brands—which are much greater than the dispensing fee paid to the pharmacy. 

“Under this proposal, any savings that would possibly be recognized by Medicare recipients would be at the expense of your hometown pharmacy and not cost the big drug manufacturers a dime.  This is wrong,” Ross continued.  “Seniors need their government to truly modernize Medicare to include a prescription drug benefit that would cover medicine just as Medicare covers going to the doctor and the hospital, not provide them with a bogus discount prescription drug card.  I will continue to fight to see that Congress passes legislation that will provide meaningful prescription drug coverage for all seniors.”   

Ross is currently working with Congressman Marion Berry (D-AR-1) and other members of the Blue Dog Coalition, a group of fiscally conservative Democrats, in the House of Representatives to craft a Medicare prescription drug benefit measure.   

The stop in Hot Springs was the first in a series of visits Ross will be making to local pharmacies during the August district work period to discuss this important issue.  

August 14th 11:00 am 
Event: Ground Breaking of the Monticello Industrial Park 
Location: Hwy 35th East next door to former International Paper plant  
1829 Hwy 35th East- (IP) land a joins that land

August 15th at 7:30 am 
Event: Magnolia Community Breakfast 
Location: Legions Cafe- on North Jackson: Between the College and downtown

August 15th at 1:15pm
Event: Ross speaks about Rx Drug Coverage for Seniors
Location: Morrison Pharmacy 1132 Westwood Drive in Camden 

August 15th at 2:00 pm
Event: Daycare Grand opening in Camden 
Location: My Story Child Development Center 532 S. Adams

August 16th at 5:00  pm
Event: Grady Fish Fry
Location: South of Grady at Hardings Farm

August 17th at 8:00 am
Event: Glenwood Community  Breakfast
Location: City Cafe-Downtown